Shower curtain



L. H. AMDUR SHOWER CURTAIN Se t. 26, 1939.

Filed Feb. 20, 1939 Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims This invention relates to shower curtains; its main object is to provide a shower curtain which will hang straight without the tendency of blowing or moving about. Shower curtains as com- 5 monly made have a tendency of blowing inwardly, caused by the movement of air currents and draft arising chiefly from the difierences in temperature-whether hot or cold water being used-between the shower water and the bathroom temperature. This movement causes annoyance to the bather, as by clinging to him and in encumbering his movements. Such movement of the limp curtain fabric also permits water to splash around the sides of the curtain and onto the bath-room floor, This disturbing movement of the shower curtain is greatly aggravated by the use of thin, lightweight stuff now commonly used for such curtains, such as oil-treated silk, Pliofilm and the like.

This aspect of the invention, i. e., a straight hanging shower curtain which will not move to disturb the person of the bather, is independent of the base or floor of the shower. In another aspect of this invention, where the shower curtain is used with either a bath-tub or a shower stall, a shower curtain embodying the principles of this invention would not be disturbed from its proper position inside either the side of the bathtub or the threshhold of the shower stall, to dangle outside the tub or stall to drip water on the bath-room floor.

Attempts have been made in the past to overcome these difficulties, but these have proven to be expensive, cumbersome or otherwise objectionable. Among these attempts might be mentioned the use of weights secured at or along the bottom of the curtain; the use of separate weights that are attached to the end of wires run through loops sewn to the outside of the curtain, the weights resting against the exterior of the tub; the use of vacuum cups attached to the curtain fabric ;'the use of zipper and other fastenings and so forth.

In the shower curtain of this invention all these extra implements and/or encumbrances are entirely dispensed with. Nothing more is required than the ordinary curtain made of any or usual limp, waterproofed fabric; along the bottom of the curtain is provided a trough-like hem or a 50 hem-like trough made preferably of the same material as the curtain and preferably formed as part thereof. This trough serves to accumulate the water flowing or dripping down the inside of the shower curtain, and thus to provide suflicient 55'- weight along the bottom ofthe curtain to compel it to hang straight and proper without the annoying movements and displacements above mentioned. Along the bottom of the troughs, at spaced distances, are provided small drain holes to permit the accumulated water to slowly drain 5 away (these outlets being, of course, much smaller than the entrance areas of the troughs, so that the troughs, during the showering operation, will contain a sufiicient volume of water). The purpose of the drain holes is to permit the weight- 10 serving water to slowly drain ofi (i. e., in a short time after the shower is stopped) so that the troughs will be left free of this water and may soon dry together with the rest of the curtain and to prevent the possibility of rotting, etc., occal5 sioned by prolonged wetness.

' By so making a portion of the shower curtain material itself to serve for weight-giving purposes, there is obviated the possibility of divorcing this function from the curtain. To explain, in those arrangements in which extra weights and the like are used, it is unlikely, because of the extra effort required in hanging the curtain, that the weights and/or wires, and the like, would always be put back. In'the curtain of the application, on the other hand, the trough is always there as an inherent part of the curtain and cannot be removed,

In those curtains in which weights, such as shot or other weights and/or wires, etc. are used, these must .be removed when the curtain isl laundered. There are at least two objections to this procedure: first, the trouble and annoyance in removing and replacing the weights; second, the likelihood that they would not be put back. It might be here pointed out that the shower curtain of this application may be readily laundered, at any time and in any condition, containing, as it does, no extra implements which would require removal before going through the washing and ironing machines.

Moreover, in the case of weighted curtains, these weights are always present and tend to form a permanent sagging and an uneven and unsightly appearance in the curtain. There is no ever-present weight or weights in the curtain of this invention inasmuch as the trough comes into function to weigh the curtain down only during the shower operation and thereafter dissipates the water and dries together with the rest of the curtain without in any way exerting extra weight upon the curtain,-

' For the attainment of these and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have shown an exemplification of 55 my invention in the accompanying drawing,

- wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bath-tub and a shower curtain embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, sectionalized, of the curtain, showing the edge of the tub;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the lower portion of the curtain;

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the end joint of the trough. provided with an extra insert; and

Fig. 6 is a detail, in sectional elevation, of a means to help maintain the trough open.

Although, as above mentioned, the shower curtain of this invention may be used independently of either a shower stall or bath-tub, or may be used with either a tub or a stall, it is shown in the drawing, merely for ease in illustration and exposition, in connection with a bath-tub. The tub may be of the type which is installed in the corner between two walls (as shown) having the L-shaped curtain rod as shown, or it may be the type which is fitted between three walls and having a straight curtain rod. The curtain may be used with the type of rod (L- shaped or straight) which permits the curtain to enclose substantially the entire bath-tub area, (as shown) or with the type of shower curtain which is fitted with a circular or similar shapedhoop for suspending the curtain and enclosing an area somewhat larger than that occupied by the bather.

Along the bottom of the shower curtain l, which is made of any of the usual kind of waterproofed fabric or fabrics, and suspended in the usual manner as shown, is provided a trough 2 which preferably, although not necessarily, extends along the entire curtain. The trough is preferably formed from a bottom portion or strip 3-of the fabric which is folded as shown. (The trough may be formed of a separate strip sewn or cemented to the curtain). The trough, or rather the folded fabric strip 3, is sewed or cemented to the curtain fabric l at spaced intermediate points, such as 4, 5 (Fig. 1, see also Figs. 3 and 4). The side edges or ends of the trough strip may be sewed or cemented closely, 6, to make a fairly water-tight joint to close both ends of the trough to prevent the accumulated water from pouring out too freely from the ends. The end joints are preferably made as shown in the figures to take advantage of the usual side folded hems I of the curtain proper employed, for one thing, to stiff the ends of the curtain and give it rigidity.

The edge of the strip 3 is formed with a hem l3. The strip has, in addition, end hems 8 which cooperate with the side hem 1 of the curtain proper to provide two thicknesses between the curtain fabric I and the trough strip 3, so that the trough is widened or swelled out so as to catch a sufficient volume of water to provide the required weight. The joint is simply made by making a slight slit at the bottom fold line, folding in the strip hem 8 and the curtain hem I, folding up the strip 3 to form the trough and sewing or cementing the two together as shown. If it is desired to give the trough more bellying out" extra thickness of material 9 may be placed as shown in Fig. 5. Such extra thickness or thicknesses may be gotten by using separate material (as shown) or by folding the curtain material itself. An extra thickness of material may be likewise inserted, as was done in Fig. 5, but in this case, such extra pieces need only be placed at joints 4, 5 where the strip is sewed or cemented to the fabric proper.

At the intermediate joints 4, 5, the strip 3 may be joined to curtain I only at the upper part of the strip, thus leaving the trough in free communication, or these joints or some of them may be sewn or cemented the entire width of the border (see i0, Fig. 3) so that a number of compartments are formed, as shown, with more or less watertight partitions l0 therebetween. The partition joints it help to reinforce the trough against the weight of the accumulated water and to keep the trough bellied out and to prevent it from collapsing. They also form compartments to prevent the water from flowing to a low point (if the curtain hangs very unevenly) resulting in an insufficiency of weight at the other parts of the curtain.

The bottom of the trough is provided with a plurality of spaced drain holes II for the purposes hereinabove explained, for which reasons, the total area of the drain holes is considerably less than the mouths or entrances I2 of the troughs. terial, or rather the lowermost portion thereof or a strip. attached to the curtain proper, may be made of material which will permit a slow seepage and dissipation of the accumulated water.

It might be desirable, if-the trough strip 3 tends to cling to the curtain proper and keep the trough closed, to use small, narrow, flexible strips [4 made of metal or other material, as shown in Fig. 6 to keep the troughs spread open. Strips I 4, which may be spaced at equal distances along the trough, tends to flex open, i. e., they are sprung in position, with one end tucked under the hem [3 of the trough strip 3.

I claim:

1. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the side edges of which are hemmed and the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sufliciently wide strip of the material, the edge of the said strip being hemmed, the bottom portions of the said hemmed edges of the curtain and the ends of the said hemmed strip being secured together in a substantially watertight joint to close the ends of the said trough, the said strip being secured to the curtain proper at spaced intermediate points along the trough by substantially watertight joints to form substantially watertight compartments, the increased thickness of material at the said end joints and the said intermediate joints Instead of such holes, the curtain maoccasioned by the said hems serving to increase the width of the said trough, the said trough width being further increased by the insertion of extra material at the said joints, the bottom of the said trough being provided with a plurality of drainage holes.

2. A shower curtain formed of limp material,

the said edges of which are hemmed and the botby substantially watertight joints to form subwatertight compartments, the increased thicknes oi material at the said end joints and the said intermediate joints occasioned by the said hems serving to increase the width or the said trough, the bottom of the said trough being provided with a plurality. oi drainage holes.

3. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the side edges of which are hemmed and the bottom edge oi which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sufliciently wide strip of the material, the edge of the saidstrip being hemmed, the bottom portions of the said hemmed edges of the curtain and the ends of the said hemmed strip being secured together in a substantially watertightpoint to close the ends of the said trough, the said strip being secured to the curtain proper at spaced intermediate points along the trough, the increasedthickness of ma-' accumulating water flowing down the insideof the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sufilciently wide strip of the material, the edge of the said strip being hemmed, the bottom portions of the said hemmed edges of the curtain and the ends of the said hemmed strip being seemed together in a substantially watertight point to close the ends of the said troimh, the bottom of the said trough being provided with a plurality of drainage holes, the total area of which is considerably less than the area of the trough so that the trough remains full or substantially full of water during the showering operation and whereby the said accumulated water will drain away from the trough in a relatively short time after the showering operation had ceased;

5. A showercurtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sufliciently wide strip of the material, the bottom portions of the side edges of the curtain and the ends of the said strip being secured together in a substantially watertight point to close the ends of the said trough, the said strip being secured to the curtainproper at spaced intermediate points along the trough by substantially Watertight joints to form substantially watertight compartments, the bottom of the said'trough being provided with a plurality of drainage holes, the totalarea of which is considerably less than the area of the trough so that the trough remains full or substantially full of water during the showering operation and whereby the said accumulated water will drain away from the trough in a relatively short time after the showering operation had ceased.

6. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sufliciently wide strip of the 'material. the bottom portions of the side edges of the curtain and the ends oi the said strip being secured together in a substantially watertight point to as; the ends of the said trough, the said strip being secured to the curtain" proper at spaced intermediatepoints along 4 p '7. A shower curtain formed of limp material,

the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the "shower, formed by folding up a sufllciently wide strip of the material, the bottom portions 01' the side edges of the curtain and the ends of the said strip being secured together in a substantially watertight point to close the ends of the said trough, the bottom of the said trough being provided with a plurality of drainage holes, the total area of which is considerably less than the area of the trough so that the trough remains full or substantially full of water during the showering operation and whereby the said accumulated water will drain away from the trough in a relatively short time after the showering operation had ceased.

8. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, formed by attaching a sufiiciently wide strip of material to the curtain proper, the bottom portions of the side edges of the curtain and the ends of the said attached strip being secured together in a substantially watertight point to close the ends of the said trough, the bottom of the said trough being provided with a plurality of drainage holes, the total area of which is considerably less than the area of the trough so that the trough remains full or substantially full of water during the showering operation and whereby the said accumulated water will drain away from the trough in a relatively short time after the showering operation had ceased.

9. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, the said accumulated water serving as a weight for the curtain, the said trough being adapted to dissipate the accumulated water slower than the said shower water feeds to the said trough whereby the trough remains full or substantially full of water during the showering operation, the said accumulated water draining away from the trough in a relatively short time after the showering operation had ceased.

lit-A shower curtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation. of the shower, the said accumulated water serving as a weight for the curtain.

ll. A shower curtain formed of limp material, the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation of the shower, the said accumulated water serving as a weight for the curtain, and means for keeping the said trough spread open.

12. A shower curtain formed of limp material,

v the bottom edge 7 of which is: provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside of the curtain during operation 0! the shower, the said accumulated water serving as a weight for the curtain, and means for keeping the said trough spread open, said means comprising strips of flexible material placed at spaced points along the trough.

13. A shower curtain formed of limp material,

10 the bottom edge of which is provided with a trough for accumulating water flowing down the inside oi' the curtain operation of the shower, formed by folding up a sumciently wide strip of the material, the edge of the said strip being hemmed, and means for keeping the trough spread open, said means comprising strips or 5 LEON H. AIHDUR. 10 

